HARRY POTTER TOYS & GAMES, PART 15:
HASBRO/TIGER ELECTRONICS
By far, the biggest toy contract for Harry Potter is held by Mattel, Inc. But the American giant is not alone. Hasbro was licensed to make a few electronic games, either bearing its name or the Tiger Electronics division name.
Hasbro's products seemed to slowly roll out as The Sorcerer's Stone release got closer. Mattel seemed to more to flood the market and was more visible, simply because they produced more stuff. Here's a look at some Hasbro games; more will be posted as I get them.
Book of Spells. My daughter saw this game, which I photographed at my local discount store, and she declared it looked just like the Pokémon Pokedex, which is an encyclopedia of the assorted creatures from that video game/TV show.
Here is a better closeup of the book (right). The Tiger Electronics Book of Spells is quite similar, containing an index and graphic info on characters, situations, creatures -- and of course, spells. It can be used as a Quidditch rule reference and paired with the beepy Nimbus 2000 (below), and kids can take quizes to earn "house points." It also doubles as a Muggle organizer and address book -- oh, joy!
The worst thing about this is the graphics on the screen and the front cover are based on the artwork of Warner Bros. artist Fred Bode, whose pictures of Harry are the worst of all drawings and illustrators used for the licensed products. About $25-$30.
I could just imagine some kid running around in his yard on this Electronic Quidditch Game from Tiger, with beeps and blips coming from the speaker, but not quite getting the effect you'd get if the wizards' sport were real. The broom is retractable and can be stretch out to 48 inches. The idea is to do a ground version of Quidditch, with motion sensors and the display screen on the broom, which indicates the presence of other players and balls. You're also limited to "playing" for Gryffindor; sorry, you other house boosters. This game, just like Mattel's Quidditch card game, just cannot surpass how a child visualizes the broomstick sport in his or her head. About $35.
Password? Pig snout! Caput draconis! With Tiger's Talking Portrait Animated Room Alarm, you could set up your bedroom door just like the entrance to the Gryffindor living quarters. The Fat Lady's eyes and mouth move, and her motion sensors work up to 6 feet. So, remember your password and be ready. Suggested retail is $29.99.
The Harry Potter Magic Spell Challenge is a chunky electronic wand that pits a juvenile, would-be wizard against an evil sorcerer (but the promotional material doesn't indicate if it's Voldemort). There are eight levels of play, "magic" sounds activated by waving the thing around and pressing buttons, and voice activated commands. About $20-$25.
Fluffy gets converted from watchdog to mini game with this Tiger offering. Controls for the game are in the mouths of the two outside heads, while the screen is in the middle mouth. Reach inside the big doggie's mouth and not get bitten as you go through Howarts corridors. Suggested retail, $19.95.
